


Summer Renovations

by actualPrincess



Series: Tales from The Apartment [2]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Collegestuck, Gen, Mild Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-11
Updated: 2015-05-11
Packaged: 2018-03-30 00:11:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3915844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/actualPrincess/pseuds/actualPrincess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jane's got her work cut out for her with this apartment.  Especially since most of it seems barely up to code.  Hopefully by the end of the summer (and with a little help from friends) she can have the place ship shape and ready to go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Summer Renovations

Your name is JANE CROCKER and at the end of last semester you purchased an apartment building. It’s not like you really meant to, it was just something that sort of happened. You had been worried about your friends paying rent, then you started thinking about the other students that may be looking for affordable housing, and here you were. Signing the papers for the transfer of a building not too far from campus so that you could do what the school and surrounding buildings weren’t, offer apartments at reasonable prices.

The building wasn’t in the best shape it could have been, the former owner Mr. Slick had not been too preoccupied with the condition of the apartments. His main focus had been his business, whatever that business was he didn’t say, but he was happy to pass the apartment building off to someone else. With the condition that he and his friends keep their apartment in the basement of the building, along with the Jobs they’d had at the apartment. There was a bit of weight off your shoulders about not having to hire new people to work at the building, but you figured the place needed a good bit of remodelling.

The top floor especially needed work. Your cousin John had expressed an interest in trying to find more affordable housing off campus and you figured that the top floor was big enough for more than just you and your friends. So, you were going to fix up the top floor into one big apartment. You knew most of the people John was bringing with him: Rose was an old friend of Roxy’s, Dave was John’s roommate, and Jade was in your academic sorority. You decided that the best thing to do was make the whole floor an apartment. You’d probably be living there for the next few years, and John and his friends would be there longer. 

There’s no way you can plan this out by yourself. You want to do something special for your friends since you’re remodelling the floor, personalize rooms and what not. If you’re doing that for your friends, you should do the same for John’s. Ugh, but you don’t know John’s friends very well! How are you supposed to know what to do for their rooms?! You suppose you could just use your observations. John would want a place for his video games and pranks, You know Jade would want space for her experiments (though you’re not exactly sure what she does), but for Dave and Rose you’re not sure.

You decide you’re going to need help, and you’re not sure you can really ask John. As well as he may know his friends you’re not sure he’d be helpful with planning. Roxy’s friend Rose would know, the few times you met her she seemed to have a good head on her shoulders. You shoot Roxy a message asking her to tell Rose to text you, and settle in to wait for her to text you.

text from Unknown Number:

I was informed that you required my assistance.

You quickly save the number to find later, and text her back.

To Rose: It would be very much appreciated! I’d like some help on a small project I’m working on.

From Rose: May I ask what this project is that you’re asking me for help?

To Rose: I assume that you’ve heard from either Roxy or John that I recently acquired an apartment building.

To Rose: I’d like your help with planning the remodelling of the top floor so that we can use it.

From Rose: I am not an architect nor am I an interior designer, I’m not sure why you’re asking me for help.

To Rose: I thought you could help me make your friend’s room a little more personal. I just need a few tips!

From Rose: Oh, well I can certainly help with that, what would you like to know?

To Rose: What would you, Jade and Dave like in a room?

From Rose: Dave needs space for his equipment and plenty of outlets, potentially a dark room for his photography obsession.

From Rose: Jade will need windows, lots of them. I would suggest making an attempt for a wall of windows. I also suggest more specific climate controls for her room and her plants.

From Rose: I myself would be fine with a plainer room, I believe some extra bookshelves would be nice though.

To Rose: That was very helpful, thank you.

You rummage around in your purse for a pen and paper to write all this down. You’ll have to get in contact with some contractors soon if you want to be able to move in before the fall semester starts. You had a little time to wander up to the top floor of the building and see what you were working with.

A quick ride up the elevator to the 10th floor and you were there. You walk down the hallway counting the rooms, there are 12 in total. You start planning in your head. If you knock out the back four rooms you could make a living area and kitchen fit for 8 people, then you can put in 2 larger communal bathrooms, adjust the room sizes and put in some custom features. You smile to yourself and search through your contacts for your family contractor and decorator. You have a few ideas for rooms now. You tap the number for the contractor, he picks up on the second ring.  
“Ms. Crocker, what can I do for you?” the other line says smoothly.

“I’d like to schedule a consultation. I’ve recently come into ownership of a building in sore need of work.” You say, turning back towards the elevator. You’ll call Ms. Paint about room decor once you can get a blueprint for the floor.

____

Your name is DIRK STRIDER and your friend Jane has decided to have you move into this shitty apartment early so you can help set up sound systems and pretty much anything that’s going to use wifi. You wish this stupid elevator would go faster, or at least play some better music. You are not happy about having to live with other people, other people get in the way of your work. Your auto responder has been up your ass all summer about this stupid apartment, especially since Jane informed you that the top floor would now be shared with her cousin and his friends. Speaking of your auto responder, you should probably turn off the text to speech feature before you actually get to the top floor, wouldn’t want AR talking while you’re trying to work.

It feels like forever but the doors finally open on the 10th floor and you are met with what looks to be the door of a wealthy suburban house. You stare at it for a moment before ringing the doorbell, you hear movement on the other side and the door is opened to reveal Jane. She’s wearing in apron and sort of covered in flour, you assume she’s baking.

“Yo, heard you needed a cable guy.” You say, watching Jane’s face break into a grin.

“Oh get in here Dirk.” She says grabbing the front of your shirt and pulling you inside. The door closes with a thud behind you and you finally get a look at where you’re going to be living. There are 5 doors on either side of the hallway, 8 of which have a whiteboard with a name written on it in Jane’s cursive. You can’t see into the other rooms but you assume they’re bathrooms. What you can see of the apartment, is the giant open area at the end of the hallway. You follow Jane down the hall, taking note of where your room is (right across from a bathroom), and into the area. Jane turns to you to watch you look around the room, and you have to admit it’s actually pretty impressive.

There’s a large kitchen in the back right corner complete with an island/bar, a large dining table sits under a small chandelier off to the left, and directly to your right is a giant sectional and one of the biggest flat screens you’ve ever seen. Hell yes. This apartment just got 20% cooler. Out of the corner of your eye you see Jane’s smile getting bigger.

“I’m baking cake too, so once you’ve gotten your things settled you can have a piece before getting to work.” She says going back to the kitchen area. You nod, trying to figure out how quickly you can get all your boxes and equipment up to your room. Maybe you could activate Sawtooth to help make things go faster.  
“Crocker if I wasn’t down for the d, I’d marry the fuck out of you.” You flashstep to the door of the apartment and make sure it’s unlocked before going to the elevator.

***

It takes you approximately 23.5 minutes to get all of your stuff up to the apartment. Most of the time spent you blame on the elevator, but your room is actually really nice. There’s an abundance of outlets at various points on the wall, and a fire escape right outside your window. You’re right across from the bathroom and Roxy, and right next to Jake’s room you’re pretty sure the fire escape connects your room to Jake’s. Jane has baked what could arguably be the best cake in existence, but when isn’t that the case, and it only takes you a few minutes to get the floor online.

You make the mistake of using your phone to check the connection. A robotic and monotone voice booming over the speakers.

“Hello Jane.” Fuck. If there’s one thing you hate, it’s the speed at which AR can get into things. You’re going to need to make a separate wifi for yourself, keep him from infecting other people’s computers.

“Oh!” Jane looks around slightly surprised, then looks to you for clarification. You tap your sunglasses, and she nods understandably, “Hello AR!”

“Please, Hal is fine. Now that I’ve gotten access to the speaker system, I’ll be managing music for the apartment.” You frown.

“No, no you’re not.” You say, already walking to your room to grab your computer and hopefully fix this.

“Let him have his fun Dirk, he’s not hurting anyone.” Jane says sternly. You stop and turn back to her.

“Jane, no. It’s a crazy AI and should not be given any power over anything.” 

“I’ve already chosen music for everyone Dirk, and it’s like Jane says, I’m not hurting anyone.” You can see AR’s text flashing up on the screen in your glasses. You roll your eyes, electing to ignore it for the time being.

“You get three strikes buster, so you better behave.” Jane says waving a spoon at one of the speakers. So long as it’s only playing music everything should be fine though.

TT: Wait ‘til you hear what I’ve got for English.

At least you hope so.

**Author's Note:**

> Part of the Apartment au my friend and I have been working on. Questions, comments, concerns? message me at maintaining-sanity.tumblr.com


End file.
